Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Jan 04, 2026 1 day, 2 hours, 26 minutes ago
Medical News: When COVID-19 first appeared, many believed children were largely spared from serious long-term effects. While most young patients did recover quickly, scientists have continued to ask an important question what happens months later inside the body especially in vital organs like the kidneys. A new systematic review now sheds light on this concern by closely examining kidney health in children aged zero to twelve years after SARS-CoV-2 infection.
New research suggests most children recover well after COVID but hidden kidney changes may still occur months later
Who Conducted the Research
The research team involved experts from multiple institutions across several countries. These include the School of Pharmacy at the University of Tasmania in Australia and numerous medical and academic institutions in Saudi Arabia such as King Faisal University, the Ministry of Health hospitals in Al Ahsa, King Abdulaziz Hospital, King Fahad Hofuf Hospital and Aloyoon General Hospital. Pediatric nephrology pharmacy radiology and clinical care specialists all contributed to the findings.
What the Study Looked At
The researchers reviewed existing studies published between late 2019 and November 2025. Their focus was on children who had COVID-19 or a serious related condition called MIS-C which causes widespread inflammation after infection. The team searched for signs of long-term kidney problems such as reduced kidney function protein or blood in urine high blood pressure or the need for dialysis at least one to twelve months after infection.
Only seven studies worldwide met the strict criteria. Most involved children who had MIS-C while a smaller number included children with mild COVID-19. Follow up periods ranged from one month to one year.
Key Findings Explained Simply
The good news is that no study reported children developing full blown chronic kidney disease or needing dialysis during follow up. Most children especially those with MIS-C showed strong recovery of kidney function within months.
However, the picture is not entirely reassuring. One study found that about fourteen percent of children who had MIS-C later developed high blood pressure which is a known warning sign for future kidney and heart problems. Another study from Italy found that children who had only mild COVID-19 still showed signs like protein or tiny amounts of blood in urine three months later. These changes may be silent but could signal early stress on the kidneys.
Large scale health record data from the United States also suggested that children and teens as a whole may face a slightly higher risk of kidney problems after COVID-19 though the data did not separate younger children clearly.
This
Medical News report highlights that while visible damage is rare, hidden kidney strain cannot be ruled out.
Why This Matters for Parents and Doctors
Children usually bounce back quickly but kidneys c
an be quietly affected without symptoms. Blood pressure checks and simple urine tests can catch early warning signs before serious problems appear. This is especially important for children who had severe COVID-19, MIS-C or acute kidney injury during illness.
Final Thoughts and Conclusions
Overall, the evidence suggests that most young children recover well from COVID-19 without obvious long-term kidney damage. However, the limited number of studies, short follow up periods and lack of detailed age specific data mean doctors cannot be complacent. Subtle kidney changes and high blood pressure seen in some children raise concerns that problems could appear later as children grow. Long-term monitoring and larger age focused studies are urgently needed to fully understand and protect children kidney health after COVID-19.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Children.
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/13/1/75
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Medical News.
Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/coronavirus
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/long-covid
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